Articles

Three Reasons Why Google Doesn’t Care About Your Website

You totally read that right. This is going to hurt to hear, but you need to know.

You are no biggie to Google. That isn’t to say that Google wants to ignore you. They don’t. But you aren’t making it easy for yourself to be found. So let’s cover the main reasons why your website is serving no purpose right now:

1.) You have not updated it since it went live in 2012. Google “spiders” search sites with updated content first. Frankly, even if you are the best of the best with the prettiest site, no one will ever know if you aren’t updating your content regularly. Try adding specials, case studies or even a blog to your site, and you’ll start seeing the search boost in 30-90 days. BE CONSISTENT.

2.) You built your site out of images, with very little content. Google reads. It doesn’t look at your pictures (though it will catalog them in image search), and so if you have an image-based site built in flash, or simply a big slider of photos, it will only impress those who find it organically. Note: adding words TO an image doesn’t help since the words become part of the image. If you can’t highlight it, Google doesn’t know about it.

3.) You aren’t taking advantage of free directories like Yelp, Google and TripAdvisor. The more places you’re listed, the more likely you are to be found. By capitalizing on the strength of domains like Wikipedia, you can increase your search rank with very little effort. You should be monitoring these anyway, shouldn’t you?

It’s hard to get excited about things like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) but the
fact is that without a handle on your content and your overall site plan, you might as well take your site down.

You don’t have to get crazy. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes a week to really increase your web site rank. Changes don’t happen overnight (figure 30-90 days, depending on your site category and content) but it will happen.

If this isn’t your forte, or you just don’t have the time, invest in an SEO professional.Even with a simple evaluation and some edits, they can get you on the right track, for a lot less than you might think.

For the DIYer, consider hosting your site with a WordPress install, or the like. WordPress makes it easy for you to post and share, with the ability to add images and video in a few clicks. Frankly, if you can use email (and let’s hope you can if you have a Linked In account!) you can use the WordPress editor. You can update once a week, and keep a professional presence while raising your search rank.

Your business is personal to you. Your site should reflect your dedication through updated, useful content. Now, get out there and get found!